A Tennessee writer proposed this trade idea involving the Titans and Browns. He has the Browns drafting Myles Garrett first overall, then coughing up 12 and 33 to the Titans for the fifth overall pick, where they draft Deshaun Watson.
That is MUCH MUCH MUCH more realistic than sitting at 12 rubbing your rabbit's foot hoping nobody else drafts him (assuming Hue does indeed want him bad). I would even consider it.
But it still puts Watson at risk. Consensus has Trubisky going first among the quarterbacks, but even that is speculation.
The writer and everybody else persists in delaring EDGE a need for the Browns. As I've said, Garrett would upgrade any roster, but they are already overloaded with edge-rushers.
That 33rd overall pick could be a big cornerback, super-safety, center, or Joe Thomas successor. So could 12.
The hell with everybody else's opinions. If Hue sees a franchise guy here, just put on your helmet, call security, prepare the back exit and the bunker, and draft him instead of Garrett.
John McMullen (fanrag sports) wrote a nice article on the Jamie Collins contract, explaining the rationale quite well.
But John describes it as a shift in philosophy, and refers to "moneyball". He's wrong. Paul DePodesta wears the moneyball label, but football isn't baseball. Analytics is about maximizing efficiency and getting the best long-term values.
Jamie Collins is only 27 years old. He may have five or more years left. He is a proven commodity.
The Browns didn't overpay. The Kuechly contract is three years old, and caps have risen twice since then. As John himself points out, Kuechly will soon get a new contract, and suddenly make the Collins deal look pretty square.
There is no philosophical shift here. They're working on Isaiah Crowell as I write this, and probably Pryor and others as well.
On Crowell, the "stalemate" talk is troubling. There IS a limit to how much a team can pay a running back, and it is possible the Crow is being too greedy.
George Atkinson is highly underrated. We barely saw him in the backfield last season, but while Crowell was sucking oxygen on the bench, this guy plowed through the middle of the Steelers defensive line for a 5-yard touchdown. Went in standing up.
The knocks on Atkinson were that he didn't break tackles, and wasn't very explosive out of his cuts. Apparently, he's become much stronger, because that touchdown was just brute force.
Oh yeah "upright runner". He's 6'1", so just flush that baloney. Next time you run, try leaning foreward, and tell me how that works for you.
Atkinson has blistering running back speed and can line up at wide receiver.
If Crowell doesn't re-sign, please do not start hallucinating about urgent dire needs at running back.
Ryan Rosco may have read this blog, because he wants you to know that the Browns front seven is already in fine shape.
He and Terry Pluto also see a desperate need for a playmaking safety. While a real stud would help, there is no such need at that position.
Gregg Williams does indeed rely heavily on his safeties, and really wants a star back there, but the jury is still out on two promising young players with the size and speed Gregg wants, and Ed Reynolds is a solid and very smart player.
The secondary needs bigger cornerbacks more than it needs anybody else. Cornerbacks who tackle well, and safeties who hit hard.
But Ryan is right. The front seven is full of talented, ascending young players, and if you list any of those positions as a need, you're not looking beyond the crudest statistics.
Gregg Williams will not tolerate blown tackles, and this same group of guys will miraculously become good. It's really that simple.
YOU STAND CORRECTED
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